Community-Based Occupational Therapy for Syrian Refugees to Improve Social Participation and Occupational Justice

The Effect of a Community-Based Occupational Therapy Intervention on Occupational Justice and Social Participation in Syrian Refugees: A Non-Invasive Clinical Study

This study aims to examine the effects of a community-based occupational therapy intervention on occupational justice, participation in daily life activities, occupational performance, satisfaction, and overall functioning among Syrian refugees living in Turkey. Refugees frequently encounter social, economic, and environmental barriers that restrict their engagement in meaningful daily activities and negatively affect their sense of autonomy, belonging, and participation. Addressing these complex challenges requires interventions that extend beyond individual skill development and actively target social participation, access to community resources, and justice in everyday occupations.

In this study, a structured community-based occupational therapy intervention has been developed based on the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework. The intervention is designed to enhance participants' access to community resources, support engagement in meaningful daily activities, strengthen social participation, and promote empowerment and self-determination. The program consists of group-based, activity-oriented sessions implemented within real-life community settings to facilitate contextualized learning and participation.

A total of 16 adult Syrian refugees are planned to be enrolled in the study and assigned to either an intervention group or a control group using a parallel-group design. Participants in the intervention group will receive a five-week community-based occupational therapy program comprising ten structured sessions. Participants in the control group will receive a single informational session focusing on daily life and available services in Turkey. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention using standardized measures of occupational justice, occupational performance and satisfaction, participation in daily activities, and overall functioning.

The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of community-based occupational therapy interventions in promoting occupational justice, participation, and functional well-being among refugee populations. The results are also anticipated to contribute to the development of rights-based, inclusive, and participation-focused rehabilitation practices for forcibly displaced communities.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being a Syrian refugee,
• Being 18 years of age or older,
• Having sufficient Turkish language proficiency to communicate effectively,
• Willingness to participate in the study voluntarily and providing written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to communicate in Turkish,
• Presence of a cognitive or neurological condition that may interfere with communication or participation in the assessment
• Presence of a serious health condition that may prevent regular attendance at the intervention or educational sessions.